


Play Me a Song

by Samunderthelights



Series: CMBYN Drabbles : 2020 & 2021 [11]
Category: Call Me By Your Name (2017), Call Me By Your Name - All Media Types
Genre: CMBYN Drabble Challenge, Don't copy to another site, Drabble, M/M, Memories, Musician Elio Perlman, Piano, Reminiscing, Reunions, Wordcount: 100-500
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:15:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29959446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samunderthelights/pseuds/Samunderthelights
Summary: "This song is about love, isn't it?"Elio nods, his fingers growing heavier as he remembers playing it for the first time."What happened?"
Relationships: Oliver/Elio Perlman
Series: CMBYN Drabbles : 2020 & 2021 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2017865
Comments: 18
Kudos: 28
Collections: CMBYN Drabble Challenge





	Play Me a Song

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [CMBYN Drabble Challenge](https://cmbynwritingfests.tumblr.com/post/635334041414008832/cmbyn-drabble-challenge-rules-guidelines), using the prompt 'Billy Joel - Piano Man'.  
> 

Elio can’t help but smile to himself as he watches the old man come over to him – drink in hand, his tie undone.

“This one’s my favorite,” the man sighs, as he sways on his feet, clearly having had one too many drinks already.

“I know, Bill.” Elio smiles. “That’s why I play it every week.”

He looks around the smokey club, most of the people listening to him playing old regulars. Every now and then a young couple will come in for a drink, and he will watch them. He will watch the people live their lives, his music no more than background noise. But he doesn’t mind.

“It’s about love, isn’t it?” Bill asks, pointing at the piano. “Did you write it?”

“I did.” Elio nods, his fingers growing heavier as he remembers playing it for the first time. How the music had poured out of him that winter. How it had taken him years to be able to play it without feeling like he was having his heart broken all over again.

“What happened to her?”

“He went home.” Elio shrugs. “Got married…”

“You never saw him again?” Bill guesses, and Elio gives a nod, trying not to show the old man how much it still hurts – even after all these years. “His loss, if you ask me.”

“Thanks, Bill.”

The man taps the piano, before walking off again to get himself another drink. Elio still thinking about Oliver.

“May I request a song?”

“Sure,” Elio sighs, having gotten used to it by now. It’s probably the stranger’s wife’s birthday, or his father used to have a favorite song and it’s the anniversary of his death. Elio has heard it all after spending years playing at the club.

But when he turns around - ready to take the man’s request - his heart skips a beat. For a moment he is too shocked to speak, but when the man flashes a smile, he finds his voice again.

“Oliver?”

“I wasn’t sure you’d recognize me,” Oliver admits, a nervous smile on his face. “I heard what you said to…”

“Bill.”

Oliver gives a nod, still smiling.

“Will you play me another memory?”

**Author's Note:**

> [You can find me on Tumblr! ❤️](http://samunderthelights.tumblr.com/)


End file.
